When Tanya McIntyre first spotted the property on a pretty tree-lined street in South West London, she had an instinctive response. ‘Great location, shame about the house,’ she recalls. ‘It was a rather ugly 50s-built construction, which was totally out of keeping with the rest of the Victorian houses on the road. Sadly, the original property had been bombed during the war, and this house had been put up in its place.’ Tanya has bought and refurbished a number of houses over the years, so she is no stranger to ambitious projects, especially as some have involved quite substantial amounts of renovation work.

ACCESS ALL AREAS The working zone between the two islands is ideal when Tanya is cooking. Both the hob and sink are in easy reach of each otherSOCIAL NETWORK The double island layout makes the most of the spacious room in an arrangement which is practical and in easy reach of the ovens, fridge-freezer and tall cabinet storage. It’s also sociable, with bar stools and dining table close by to accommodate both friends and family

But nothing quite as substantial as this. ‘I decided to knock down the 50s house and rebuild it in exactly …